Backbone Mountain

Backbone Mountain is a ridge of the Allegheny Mountains of the central Appalachian Mountain Range. It is situated in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland and forms a portion of the Eastern Continental Divide. In the state of Maryland, Backbone Mountain reaches an elevation of 3,360 feet or 1,024 metres, making it Maryland's highest point.

Backbone Mountain
Marker at Hoye Crest, the high point of Maryland
Highest point
Peak3.92 mi (6.31 km) west of Thomas, West Virginia, Tucker County, West Virginia
Elevation3,662 ft (1,116 m)
Coordinates39°08′50″N 79°34′12″W 
Dimensions
Length39 mi (63 km) [1]
Geography
Backbone Mountain
Location of Backbone Mountain in Maryland and West Virginia
CountryUnited States
StatesMaryland and West Virginia
CountiesTucker WV, Preston WV and Garrett MD
Parent rangeAllegheny Mountains

Description and geography

Backbone Mountain stretches approximately 39 miles (63 km) southwest to northeast, from the Black Fork near Hambleton in Tucker County, West Virginia to the Savage River Reservoir in Garrett County, Maryland.[1]

The Eastern Continental Divide follows part of the mountain in Maryland. The headwaters of Youghiogheny River, in the watershed of the Mississippi River, lie just northwest of the mountain, whereas the headwaters of the North Branch of the Potomac River lie just south of the mountain, along the West Virginia-Maryland border. In West Virginia, the Eastern Continental Divide diverts to the east, with both sides of the mountain draining into the Black Fork.

The ridge is crossed twice by U.S. Route 219, once north of Parsons and again near Silver Lake. It is also crossed by U.S. Route 50 east of Red House, Maryland, which is marked by a Maryland State Highway Administration sign.

Notable features

Hoye-Crest
Main article: Hoye-Crest

Located just inside of Maryland along Backbone Mountain is Hoye-Crest. At an elevation of 3,360 feet (1,020 m), it is the highest point in the state of Maryland. The location, named for Captain Charles Hoye, founder of the Garrett County Historical Society, has a marker and offers a view of the North Branch Potomac River valley to the east. The location is accessible via a path leading from U.S. Route 219 to the west.

Olson Observation Tower
Main article: Olson Observation Tower

The southern end of Backbone Mountain was the location of West Virginia's first fire tower.[2] The first tower was built in 1922 by the state and subsequently transferred to Monongahela National Forest. In 1963, the original tower was replaced with the one currently on-site and named after Ernest B. Olson in recognition of 28 years of service in MNF fire control and conservation programs.

While the cab of the tower is not open to the public, the 133 steps leading to it are. From the tower it is possible to view the surrounding area, including Cheat River watershed, Parsons, Blackwater Canyon, Canaan Mountain and the Otter Creek Wilderness.

Crabtree Woods

Crabtree Woods, on the northwest slopes of Backbone Mountain, is in the Potomac-Garrett State Forest.[3] It constitutes Maryland's largest surviving remnant of old-growth forest: over 500 acres (2.0 km2) [4] of mixed Appalachian hardwoods (sugar maple, red oak, basswood and cucumber tree).[5]

See also

References
  1. "Backbone Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  2. "Olson Observation Tower". Monongahela National Forest. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
  3. Maryland Native Plant Society: Crabtree Old-Growth Forest, Garrett County, Maryland Archived 2009-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
  4. DeGroot, Bob (January 12, 2006), "Legislative Issue: Protecting Maryland's Forests, Natural Reserves, and Wildlife" Archived 2008-11-28 at the Wayback Machine, The Sierra Club Maryland Chapter Newsletter Online
  5. McCarthy, B.C. and D.R. Bailey (1996), "Composition, structure, and disturbance of Crabtree Woods: an old-growth forest of western Maryland", Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 123(4), pp. 350–365.
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